


Pentonville Visit

by RiddleParadox



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Jim Moriarty (mentioned) - Freeform, Sebastian Moran (mentioned) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:40:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25926031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiddleParadox/pseuds/RiddleParadox
Summary: Sherlock and John arrive at Pentonville Prison to interrogate Sebastian Moran on a terrorist plot set up by the deceased James Moriarty.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson
Kudos: 3





	Pentonville Visit

As soon as his cab stopped in front of Pentonville Prison, Sherlock practically leaped out of the car and headed towards the gate. In doing so he completely forgot he had to pay for the ride and left John to handle it. But in his defense, who cared about paying a taxi driver when there was a notorious criminal to interrogate and win over? In his head Sherlock was already going over all the possible directions the conversations might take. Getting someone as loyal and ruthless as Sebastian Moran to spill the late Moriarty’s secrets was no easy task.

“Oi, wait up!” John sprinted after Sherlock while he clumsily tried to push his wallet back in his pocket at the same time. “You’re going to have to pay me back for that.”

“Naturally.” Sherlock replied, even though he’d already forgotten what John told him by the time the word left his mouth. 

They arrived to the large gates and were met by two armed security guards. Sherlock showed them his passport as well as the badge Mycroft got him for clearance. One of the security guards nodded at the other and they stepped aside to open the gate for them and allow them access.

“Thank you.” 

Sherlock was about to walk straight on but as he passed the guard on his left he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Despite his best efforts to focus on the case at hand, a sewing pattern in the guard’s uniform caught his eyes and led to an unsolicited deduction. … Ugh.

He quickly turned back to look at the guard. “Your keycard was taken by prisoner 8043. He’s likely hidden it in one of the toilets and intends to use it for a break out. It’ll be an unsuccessful one, but still, you might want to save yourself the trouble.”

The guard’s face turned a shade of red while he subconsciously pawed the pocket where his keycard was supposed to be but had vanished from. Before he could ask Sherlock the obvious and ever-returning question, he turned back around and moved on. Of course, John was still walking after him and never shied away from asking the question instead.

“How did you know?”

“Toothpicks.”

“What?”

Sherlock waved it off annoyed. “Look, it doesn’t matter. Focus.”

“Oh yeah right. Sorry. I forgot we were about to set the man you once referred to as ‘the second most dangerous man in London’ free so he can help us stop a terrorist attack that his late boss made possible.”

Sherlock didn’t respond. He knew John was opposed to the plan. That wasn’t going to stop him.

“This is a bad idea.” John urged once more, clearly insisting on some sort of reaction.

“I never have bad ideas.”

“Remember my stag night?”

Sherlock paused. 

“Apart from that one.”

They were stopped by another set of security guards at the entrance of the building. They were specifically eyeing John.

“Sorry, only Mr. Holmes is cleared to enter the building.”

“What are you on about? I need an assistant.”

“Partner.” John corrected begrudgingly, but it flew right over Sherlock’s head.

“Sorry, Mr. Holmes. We’ve got our orders.”

“Look, the whole point of this visit is to get Sebastian Moran to talk. Dr. Watson here was an army doctor. They both served in Afghanistan and they knew each other. If anyone can get him to give us the information we need, it’s him. So I will go inside with him and if you have a problem with that you can take it up with my brother.”

The two gave each other an awkward look and then reluctantly agreed to let both Sherlock and John enter the building. John was visibly smirking at Sherlock’s side.

“That was a lie.”

“Partially.”

“What do you mean partially?”

“You didn’t know him in the war, but you could have done. Despite his grim history with the British Army he does hold a lot of respect for soldiers and he will know one when he sees one.”

“That doesn’t mean he’ll listen to me.”

“It might. Military father. Military grandfather. Military brother even, though short lived. He’s grown up to know discipline so he’s bound to appreciate it in others. Also, if he attacks me, it’ll be good to have a doctor around.”

John was quiet for a moment as he mentally analyzed this answer. Then he knew exactly how to respond.

“You just want me there as audience, don’t you?”

Sherlock smiled. John knew him too well sometimes.


End file.
